Belt type solid separator



March 18, 1947.

J. H. V. FINNEY, JR

BELT TYPE SOLID SEPARATOR Filed July 11, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 8,1947. J. H. v. FINNE'Y, JR 27,417,477

BELT TYPE SOLID SEPARATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jul 11, 1944 PatentedMar. 18, 1947 S PATENT OFFICE BELT TYPE SOLID SEPARATOR John Henry VanceFinney, Jr., Salt Lake City, Utah, assignor to The Eimco Corporation,Salt Lake City, Utah, a corporation of Utah Application July 11, 1944,Serial No. 544,439

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for separating solid paritcles fromliquid suspensions. The separating device of the invention may beutilized as a dewaterer or as a classifier.

Mechanical classifiers for the separation of coarse from fine, or heavyfrom light, particles commonly include a pool into which a slurry of thematerial to be separated is fed and means for removing the settledsolids from the pool. The essential classifying action is based on thedifferential rates of settling of the particles in the pool, the finesremaining in suspension in the liduid and passing out of the pool withthe overflow. Likewise essential to the operation of the classifier isth provision of means for the removal, preferably continuously, of thesettled material from the pool. In the mechanical classifiers heretoforeproposed, this removal of the settled solids has been effected by meansof endless drags, oscillating rakes, spiral ribbon con veyors and thelike.

However, the action of these devices for removing the settled solidsdirectly interferes with the effectiveness of the settling operation inthe pool, which requires for eflicient and sharp separation of thematerial substantial absence of agitation. The operation of the pool istherefore disturbed by the action of the conveyor devices. The agitationcauses high pulp densities to build up in the bottom of the pool,reducing the sharpness and effectiveness of separation. To overcome thiscondition increased pool volumes are required.

A principal purpose of the invention is to provide a material separatingdevice in which the settled material is removed from the bottom of thepool as fast as it settles without substan tial agitation of the pool.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a material separatingdevice in which the settling operation and the removal of the settledmaterials are carried out at maximum efficiency without interfering onewith the other.

A further purpose of the invention is the provision of a materialseparating device in which the receptacle for the settling is formed bythe conveying means for the removal of settled solids.

These and other purposes and advantages are achieved by the provision ofa separating device comprising an endless flexible belt. one portion ofwhich is laterally-warped out of its plane position to provide apool-forming receptacle and means driving said belt upwardly from thelocation of the receptacle to a level higher than the overflow level ofthe receptacle whereby solids settling on the belt from the pool arecontinuous- 2 ly removed from the pool without substantial agitation ofthe slurry in the pool.

The invention will be more particularly described fer the purpose ofillustration with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a separating device embodying theprinciples of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the separating device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail in partialsection of a troughing idlerpulley of the invention.

In the figures, l is an endless belt, preferably of rubber, mounted on aflat-faced head pulley 2 and a concave-faced tail pulley 3. The belt isdriven in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, by therotation of the tail pulley 3 by means of motor 4, pinion 5 and gear 6.

The head pulley 2 is mounted on shaft 1 carried in ball bearing pillowblocks 8 and the tail pulley 3 is mounted on shaft 9 carried in ballbearing pillow blocks [0. The pillow blocks are mounted on frame ll.

Adjacent the concave-faced tail pulley are a series of troughing idlerpulleys l2, mounted in ball bearings l2 in brackets I3 carried on framell and positioned to warp the sides of the belt upwardly to form a poolreceptacle. Preferably, the troughing idlers are so positioned that theedges of the belt throughout the pool area are at approximately the samelevel as the edges of the belt on the concave-faced tail pulley, so thatthe center portion of the concave-faced tail pulley forms an overflowweir for the settling pool.

A concave-faced, conveying'idler pulley I4 is positioned between thepool area and the head pulley 2. Other suitably spaced idler pulleys l5are positioned along the bottom flight of the belt.

A belt scraper I6 is provided at the head end of the belt.

At the tail end a sump IT with a slimes outlet I8 is provided.

The surface of the belt may be corrugated or provided with upstandingflexible rubber clips.

In operating the device as a classifier, a slurry of coarse and finematerial to be separated is fed continuously into the pool through feedline l9. In the pool the coarse material sinks to the bottom and comesto rest on the conveyor belt which carries the coarse material upwardout of the pool over the head pulley to the point of discharge at thebelt scraper.

Fine material which remains in suspension flows with the liquid mediumto the point of 3 discharge over the concave-faced tail pulley into thesump and out through the slimes outlet.

Independent agitation to regulate the amount of fines which remains insuspension may be provided in the pool if desired. The speed of travelof the belt is determined solely by the rate of settling of the coarsematerial and is adjusted to remove tliezsettled materialwithout'any-fsubstantial accumulation in the bottom of the pool.

When using the separating device of the invention as a dewaterer, thesolid particles which settle in the pool are conveyed outby the'belt,

while slimes and foreign material are washed away and carried out of thepool over "theover flow into the sump.

I claim:

1. A separating device comprising an ndles's flexible belt, meanssupporting said belt for continuous travel through a path directedupward at an angle to the horizontal-including a substanti'ally fiatfa'ced "pulley at "the upp r end or 4 2. A separating device comprisingan endless flexible belt, means supporting said belt for continuoustravel through a path directed upward at an angle to the horizontalincluding a substantially fiat-faced pulley at the upper end of the pathand a concave-faced pulley at the lower end of the path, and apluralityof idler pulleys positionedto "warp the beltin 'theJower portion OT'said path into a receptacle 'provi'dinga settling pool of substantialdepth the edges of the belt throughout said warped portion being notsub- "stanti'al'lylower than the edges of the belt on said concaverfacedpulley and the center of the con- "cav'e fa'ced pulley beingsubstantially lower than the edges'o'f theibeltthroughout said warpedportion whereby'liquid from the pool overflows over the center "of saidconcave-faced pulley,

throughout said warped portion wherebyli'quid 1 from :pool overflowsTov'er the center of said concave-faced pulley.

'iTO-HN HENRY VANCE FINNEY, JR.

7 I L REFERENCES CITE-D" Q i-T he .Iollowin'g references are for recordim the file of this :patent: v

UNITED, STATES PATENTS Num er Name 7 Date v 6 2349 Roberts Sept. 17,1901 "885,692 "Evan's Apr. 21,1908

FOREIGN :IPATEN-TS 7 Number Y A {Country Date I 17,0 89 British iebp324571 German Aug. 31, I920

